What is the JW stance on having relations with one's wife while she is having her menstrual period? One of them told me that because there is "blood" it is against God's law, although I never heard that before.
CG
This is a very strange question, but I have to ask...
by Country Girl 22 Replies latest jw friends
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shamus
I do believe that you are correct. The scripture is somewhere in the old testament, and dammed if I can remember where such an oddball scripture would be. I sure remember it, though.
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czarofmischief
it's in exodus.
And since my dad was one of the few elders who would give the "sex and marriage" talk, we went all over the tri-state area learning about sex and marriage.
He would bring this up as a point of how men should be kind to their wives during this time. I don't think it's a diff'ng offence, or anything.
I think it's kind of gross to want to do that then.... yurg, coming up roses is NOT fun.
CZAR
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mouthy
check theses scriptures 12:2 Liviticus- Ez 22:10. 36:17 Lev 15:25 ,26
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mouthy
That is Ezek 22:10 NOT Ezra
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Thunder Rider
I believe the scriptural notations listed express just that. It was against Gods law for the Isrealites to engage in intercourse during the woman's cycle.
Most of those kind of laws though have scientific and health concerns as their basis. If I understand the workings of the lady's plumbing correctly, during that "time" of the month, she is particularly susceptable to bacteria and infection. And men being the pigs we are, are not always conscious enough as to our personal hygene.
I think if one took the time he could find perfectly reasonable and sound reasons for all the laws God gave the Isrealites and see the benefit following those guidelines can give.
Thunder -
Frannie Banannie
Yup...it was under the OLD law covenant, which was supposedly nailed to the "torture stake".
Frannie B
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blondie
Some quotes that might prove enlightening: Insight Book Volume 2 p. 372 Menstruation
If a man and a woman deliberately cohabited during her menstrual impurity, they were cut off in death. (Le 18:19; 20:18) The prohibiting of sexual union during menstruation probably contributed to health, perhaps preventing, for instance, the occurrence of inflammation in the genital area, simple urethritis. The Israelites also may have been reminded of the sanctity of blood by the Law?s regulations involving menstruation or blood flow. These rules were not discriminatory against women, for men were subject to uncleanness by discharges to which they were prone. (Le 15:1-17) Especially did regulations concerning menstruation show Jehovah?s consideration for womankind. The Christian husband, though he is not under the Law (Ro 6:14; Eph 2:11-16), also does well to consider his wife?s cycles and vicissitudes, dwelling with her "according to knowledge" and assigning her honor "as to a weaker vessel, the feminine one."?1Pe 3:7.
WT 5/15/89 p. 13
Why is the wife "of a more delicate constitution"? Among other things, because of her gift of procreation. Her procreative life is subject to monthly cycles that include a period of several days when she might be feeling somewhat limited or under strain. If the husband fails to take this into account and makes the same demands on his wife every day of the month, he will fail to respect her dignity. In that case he will be showing that he lives with her in accordance with selfish ignorance, rather than with knowledge.?Leviticus 18:19; 1 Corinthians 7:5.
WT 6/1/89 p. 14
Furthermore, in Israel, laws imposed limits on sexual activities even within the marriage bond. A husband was to refrain from having relations with his wife during her menstrual period. (Leviticus 15:24; 18:19; 20:18) This required loving consideration and self-control on the part of the Israelite menfolk. Should Christians be any less considerate of their wives? The apostle Peter says that Christian husbands should dwell with their wives "according to knowledge," that is, knowledge of their make-up as "a weaker vessel, the feminine one."?1 Peter 3:7.
WT 12/1/86 12/1 p. 19
If a husband follows Christ?s model, he will take into account the delicate feminine side of his wife?s life. That includes those difficult days when she needs more kindness, patience, and consideration. Certainly a loving husband will exercise self-control and will not be demanding on such occasions. True love is self-sacrificing.?Compare Leviticus 15:24; 20:18; 1 Corinthians 7:3-6.
WT 4/15/80 4/15 p. 22
So, then, the godly husband will considerately seek to fulfill his wife?s emotional and related needs, but with the restraint that befits an individual having God?s spirit and displaying its fruit of self-control. (Gal. 5:22, 23) By taking into consideration her physical and biological limitations, as did Jehovah in the Law given to Israel, the Christian husband will act "according to knowledge," assigning his wife "honor as to a weaker vessel, the feminine one."?Lev. 18:19; 20:18; 1 Pet. 3:7.
WT 9/15/72 pp. 575-576 Questions from Readers
To what extent does the Jewish law forbidding marital relations during a woman?s menstrual period apply to Christians??U.S.A.
The law governing sexual intercourse during a woman?s menstrual period states: "Where a man lies down with a menstruating woman and does lay bare her nakedness, he has exposed her source, and she herself has laid bare the source of her blood. So both of them must be cut off from among their people." (Lev. 20:18; 18:19, 20) The Jewish law also made allowance for the possibility that a wife might begin menstruating during intercourse with her husband. The regulation governing this circumstance is found at Leviticus 15:24: "If a man lies down with her at all and her menstrual impurity comes to be upon him, he must then be unclean seven days, and any bed upon which he might lie down will be unclean." Thus only deliberate intercourse during a woman?s menstrual period carried the penalty of ?cutting off,? that is, death.
The prohibition on sexual intercourse during a woman?s menstrual period was a purposeful restriction. It protected a man from becoming religiously unclean by contact with the blood of a menstruating woman. And it took into consideration the woman?s physical and biological limitations. When obeyed, this law evidently contributed to the health of Israelite women. Says Dr. Jacob B. Glenn in his book The Bible and Modern Medicine: "The female genital tract, especially during periods of lowered resistance (menstruation), is particularly vulnerable to irritation and stimulation; hence, the strict law among Jewish people forbidding cohabitation during this period."
Christians are not under the Mosaic law. (Rom. 6:14) But they rightly give due consideration to the principles set forth therein and strive to live in harmony with these principles. The fact that deliberate intercourse during a woman?s menstrual period carried the death penalty reveals the seriousness with which Jehovah God viewed this matter.
Though under no law that would label him as being ceremonially or religiously "unclean," a Christian is concerned with maintaining a good conscience before God. For instance, Christian women are urged to do what is "fitting" in matters of head covering and mode of dress. The apostle Paul also describes certain practices as "not becoming" and "not fitting" for God?s servants. (Compare Ephesians 5:3, 4; Romans 1:28; 1 Corinthians 11:13; 1 Timothy 2:9, 10.) True, marital relations are not a public matter but private. Yet the Christian may rightly ask himself, Do I find it "fitting" and "becoming" to have sex relations at the time my wife?s body is expelling blood and other wastes? Is it the "natural" thing to do? As we may recall, the fact that something can be done does not necessarily make it "natural" from a Scriptural standpoint. (Compare Romans 1:26, 27.) Christians should therefore want to consider what is natural, fitting and becoming in deciding what they can personally do in good conscience.
Moreover, Christian husbands are under command to ?continue dwelling with their wives according to knowledge, assigning them honor as to a weaker vessel, the feminine one.? (1 Pet. 3:7) Viewed in the light of the Mosaic law, such dwelling with a wife according to knowledge could include showing consideration to her during her menstrual period. Manifestly, if a man puts satisfying his passions ahead of his wife?s best interests, he would not be ?assigning honor? to her. If he failed to take his wife?s cycles and vicissitudes into consideration, he would not be ?dwelling with her according to knowledge.? By not controlling himself when the welfare of his marriage mate may be at stake, he would be disregarding the Bible?s command: "Each one of you should know how to get possession of his own vessel in sanctification and honor."?1 Thess. 4:4.
The intimacies of a married couple, of course, are not something that is investigated by elders comprising the judicial committee of a Christian congregation. If approached for help about such matters, these elders may give appropriate counsel, but their authority ends there. Like all other Christians, married people will want to strengthen themselves spiritually by heeding their internal sense of what is proper. Also, they will appreciate Jehovah God?s interest in how they conduct their marital affairs.
WT 6/15/70 p. 379
The laws governing marriage forbade marriage to any close fleshly relative. Thus Leviticus 18:6 says: "You people must not come near, any man of you, to any close fleshly relative of his to lay bare nakedness. I am Jehovah." Such relationships are repugnant to human nature, and are genetically unwise. And the filthy act of deliberately having sex relations with one?s wife during her menstrual period "laid bare the source of her blood." Both parties suffered the death penalty. (Lev. 20:18) The revolting practices of homosexuality and bestiality likewise were punished by death, according to Lev. 20:13, 15, where it is written: "Where a man lies down with a male the same as one lies down with a woman, both of them have done a detestable thing. They should be put to death without fail. Their own blood is upon them. And where a man gives his seminal emission to a beast, he should be put to death without fail, and they should kill the beast."
WT 12/1/68 p. 735
Also, medical studies partially credit the low incidence of uterine cancer among Jewish women to their abstaining from intercourse during menstruation; so there were hygienic benefits. This same regulation would remind the Israelite husband to take into consideration his wife?s biological cycles and limitations, both physical and emotional. (Lev. 18:19; 1 Pet. 3:7) Also, these laws would have taught men and women self-discipline, reasonable restraint of their passions and respect for the sexual organs.
In regard to menstruation, respect for blood as something sacred to God seems also to have been involved. If a husband and wife willfully had relations while she was menstruating, the man would have "exposed her source," and the woman would have "laid bare the source of her blood." (Lev. 20:18; 17:11)
Blondie
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Englishman
I do once recall - many, many years ago - chatting up a lady in a nightclub who deigned to come home with me because, she said, she was "On her menstrual cycle".
"In that case", I said, "I'll follow you on my Honda".
Englishman.
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Mulan
Mike, that is a good one. You always crack me up.